Quoting directly from the Philadelphia Eagles presser: "The Eagles have contracted with Orlando FL-based SolarBlue, a renewable energy and energy conservation company, to install approximately 80 20-foot spiral-shaped wind turbines on the top rim of the stadium, affix 2,500 solar panels on the stadium's façade, build a 7.6 megawatt onsite dual-fuel cogeneration plant and implement sophisticated monitoring and switching technology to operate the system.

Over the next year, SolarBlue will invest in excess of $30 million to build out the system, with a completion goal of September 2011. SolarBlue will maintain and operate the stadium's power system for the next 20 years at a fixed annual price increase in electricity, saving the Eagles an estimated $60 million in energy costs." What happens next?The City of Philadelphia is the site of Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Hence, the "Declaration of Energy Independence."

Investing $30 million in a project heavily dependent upon building-integrated renewable energy technology takes real courage in time of scarce capital, a collapsing global economy, and luddites dominating an entire political party (Republicans). Note: this is private sector investment we're talking about.

I'll have my cheese steak with hot peppers and onions.This just-released announcement, on the Eagles website, is already generating the requisite 'I hate Al Gore' type comments. There is hope for the future, though.